


What Matters Most

by UntidyCeiling



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2012)
Genre: Brofluff, Brotherly Bonding, Brotherly Fluff, Family, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Late at Night, Michelangelo - Freeform, Nightmares, Raph - Freeform, Raphael - Freeform, TMNT, TMNT 2012, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Freeform, mikey - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-14 06:01:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28665906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UntidyCeiling/pseuds/UntidyCeiling
Summary: You set your beloved comic aside, and sit up straighter, preparing your exhausted muscles to take care of this problem when you hear a small sniff. It was so quiet, you questioned if you actually heard it, or if it was just the sound of his arm rubbing against your door frame. But then that word, that one word that followed made your heart tighten and your muscles freeze."Raphie…"He only called you that when he was really scared.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 26





	What Matters Most

It was late, but you didn't care. You had been waiting for months for the new addition of the Fantastic Four Food Groups to be released, and sleep was the last thing on your mind.

You were grinning with probably the most stupid grin, and thank goodness none of your brothers were awake to see you this vulnerable. If they saw you like this, they would never let you live it down. Especially Mikey.

It had been a very long day with long battles against the Foot and Shredder's goons with new cuts and bruises that had been added to the mixture of all your old ones. Your muscles are sore, and even though sleep knocks on your eyelids, you keep glancing from one detailed panel to the next with excitement pulsing through every inch of your being.

It was nearing 3:00 a.m. when you heard noises from the other side of your door. It was probably Leo, he loves to start his training exercises early in the morning. That thought makes you roll your eyes.

But a minute later, you hear your doorknob begin to turn. You look up from the page you were on, annoyance bleeding out of you for being interrupted when you were finally getting to the climax. You wonder why on earth Leo would be checking in on you, and when your frustration and annoyance has reached its peak, you see a small, dark and shadowed face enter your room.

A scowl appears on your lips as you recognize his form. What is he doing up? you think as you clutch your comic harder, probably wrinkling the page.

"Go back to bed." You growl, hoping he'll get the message you practically threw at him. This was your time to be alone, and you couldn't help but feel the anger that was rising in your chest as it was being taken away from you.

He didn't move, and it was too dark to see more than his shadowy figure, but you know that he did not get your message. Perhaps it was time to use brute force.

You set your beloved comic aside, and sit up straighter, preparing your exhausted muscles to take care of this problem when you hear a small sniff. It was so quiet, you questioned if you actually heard it, or if it was just the sound of his arm rubbing against your door frame. But then that word, that one word that followed made your heart tighten and your muscles freeze.

"Raphie…"

He only called you that when he was really scared.

You watch as he steps further into your room with the light from your pumpkin-shaped lantern spilling onto his face, and you feel as though a knife has sliced your heart open when you see his face shiny with tears. And at that moment, you know he had a terrible nightmare and was now shouldering on the weight of the world.

You feel a different form of anger settle inside your chest, and you hate the world for what it did to your baby brother. He's too young to be shouldering on this much weight and pain, and it makes you clench your fists as you watch his teary, petrified face.

"I'm… s-sorry… I didn't mean, to… to bother you…" You hear him whisper, and the sound of his voice cracking angers you more. But this anger that you feel, this burning anger that's eating at your heartstrings yells protect him at all costs. And within seconds you untangle yourself from your sheets, cross the room, and close the space between you and your brother. As your arms close around his shell, barricading him from the dangerous world, you feel his arms wrap around you tightly as though it's the most natural thing in the world to him. And though you'll never admit it, you love him, and will do whatever it takes to help him feel safe.

"Had a nightmare, didn't you buddy?" You ask, even though you already know the answer. He nods softly against your neck, and you feel a new wave of tears run down your shoulder. You inhale softly before letting all your air out. Deep down you know that you're not going to be able to finish your comic tonight. That thought pains you. It was getting to the best and most exciting part, but it would have to wait because you know that your little brother needs you right now.

You unravel one arm around him to close the door, because you'll be darned if any of your other brothers catches you and sees that your a big softy, and that is unacceptable.

You pull him to your bed, and scoot aside your blankets, and watch as he climbs in before you jump in too. His watery blue eyes penetrate yours as you tuck your sheets around him to ensure that he's safe and protected, and that no harm will come to him. You lay down once he's trapped in his cocoon, and pull him against your side.

Your tempted to ask him what his nightmare was about, but you have a feeling that he doesn't want to relive it again, so you curl your arm around him, and hold him tightly. He looks so exhausted, and every inch of you aches with a new profound exhaustion, but you're willing to comfort him even if it takes all night. And if a sleepless night is what it takes to ensure that the night terrors stay away, then you'll do it for him. Because you love this kid, and even though he knows all the secret entrances to get under your skin, you would go to heck and back for him. And you'll keep doing it until you've met your grave.

  
  



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